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 You are here: ABOUT PSYCHOANALYSIS * ASK A PSYCHOANALYST! * THEORIES
 FAQs
Q.  I have a question about the role of therapist self-disclosure in psychoanalysis. I understand that the theory of psychoanalysis is that the analyst should be as much of a blank slate as possible to allow "transference" to develop. But when it comes to things like scheduling, cancelling appointments, interruptions during the sessions, etc., isn't the patient (as a paying client) entitled to a ce le, if the analyst suddenly has to cancel several appointments, isn't the patient entitled to know (generally) the reason instead of just talking about how it makes him/her "feel"?
Q.  What is the nature vs. nurture of personality...regarding nature primarily?
Q.  I am a 12th grade psychology student studying in England. I was recently reading a book on Freud which suggested that the reasons Freud believed that the male and female genitals were represented in dreams by various symbols was due to the guilt they felt over the these parts of thier body and the general taboo there was within society to openly talk and recognize such features. That really set me to thinking, why is it, exactly that the genitals are so popularly symbolised? Is it for the aforementioned reasons and if so, then what place does Freud's idea have in today's world where no longer do the general feelings of guilt and taboo occur?? I know to ask someone as knowledgable as you in this subject, this must seem a really nieve and basic question, but I guess you have to start somewhere. Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Q.  What is the difference or relationship between the terms "psychoanalytical" and "psychodynamic" therapy?
Q.  Dreams
Tell us about dreams, and how psychoanalysts understand them.
Q.  Negative Physical Views
Why are people so unwilling to look at what a person has to offer mentally when they get a "negative" physical view?
Q.  "Psychological Damage"
I need help, please. I have to do research on: "Is there such a thing as Psychological Damage?" And what does it mean to be Psychologically Resilient? Can you please help me by telling me where to search for some answers online.
Q.  Characters in a Book
I am an undergraduate student and a psychology major. I am writing a paper on a book and I have to use psychoanalysis in order to find out why he is the way he is. My professor says he doesn't want descriptions of the theories in the text nor does he want any description of the man's behaviors. He wants us to just analyze him in ten pages. I have many resources from the library on the psychoanalytic approach, but nothing seems to be hitting it on the nose. I am having a lot of difficulty getting this paper started and was wondering if you had any advice on how I could begin this paper or begin to even format this paper. I appreciate your time. Thank you.
Q.  Split Transference
What is split transference? After 9 years of analysis, I took a course in modern psychoanalytic technique. I loved it and I loved the teacher. I changed during this course in a way I could not change due to the years of analysis alone. I asked the teacher to tell me why this happened. She only gave me a hint-split transference. I am so curious about this!
Q.  Fate Neurosis
I would like to know more about fate neurosis in Freudian thought. Could you suggest any papers or reviews on this subject?
Q.  The Unconscious and the Conscious
I'm interested in learning more about the unconscious and the way in which it relates to the conscious. Why does it seem to be such a reclusive character, unwilling to announce its wishes and defense stratagems to the conscious mind - why the premium on not being found out and on doing its work in private, sending its message in code? Can it be trusted (when, for a change, its wishes are known), or must its work always be suspect (as in reaction formation, where it gives orders to behave in an exact opposite way to its own wishes)? Is it a person's truest identity, the real "you," and if so, why the secretiveness or shyness? What goals are served by its insistence on always operating from a private place, like the Wizard of Oz? Who really runs things, the unconscious or the conscious identity, and why doesn't it just announce its orders rather than setting up a "conflict?" Why does unconscious material remain unconscious, as if it can see out, but we can't see in (without about $100k worth of psychoanalysis? There must be some terribly important reason for this arrangement, but what is it?
Q.  "Abnormality" in Freud
I have been trying to find out Sigmund Freud's views about abnormality, including if possible, a case study he did.
Q.  Alexithymia
I am doing a research paper on emotion and I am having a hard time finding information on alexithymia (lack of emotion). Any help on this topic and what causes it would be greatly appreciated.
Q.  Ambition
I am doing a major project on the role of ambition in literature, and as a human condition. Here's my problem, almost everything I find gives me a cloudy piece of the puzzle, and I am really trying to strike the center of the matter. Also, everything I have found is slanted toward an author's personal bias. Can you help me?
Q.  Anamnesis
I am studying Psychology here in Rome and I would like to know what is an "anamnesis" of a person? Is it made up of standard questions or does the psychologist have to make one up according to the client's problems?
Q.  "As-If" Personality
Can you tell me what Helene Deutsch meant by as-if personality and where I can read about it?
Q.  Becker and Rank
I was wondering how accepted (or rejected) Ernest Becker's (also Rank's) reformulations of psychoanalysis are in the psychoanalytic community? As you know, these reformulations are based on the fear of death and the human condition (an unlimited mind in a limited body), rather than infantile sexuality.
Q.  Causes of fear
In most people what in the mind is the fear factory? More specifically, what causes the excited state and fear "symptoms"?
Q.  "Carrying Your Affect"
What might an analyst mean by saying to a patient, "I have been carrying your affect?" I think he must mean that he is expressing the emotional reaction to an event in the patient's life that he believes the patient should be expressing, but isn't. So, for the purposes of the therapy, he is highlighting the subject. However, I am not licensed to give psychiatric opinions, and there must be a reason for this. What do you say about the meaning of "carrying your affect?"
Q.  Censorship and Repression in Dreams
I am writing a bilingual thesis on dreams and would like to know if there is any difference between censorship and repression.
Q.  Cognitive aspects of psychoanalysis
Cognitive-behavioral therapies and psychoanalysis differ in many ways. But both seem to hold strongly that reason will inevitably cure us. CBT makes no bones about this. But most psychoanalysts purport that they are really dealing directly with primitive, affect-laden material. Judging from session notes used in articles from the main psychoanalytic journals, psychoanalytic interpretation seems to be a highly intellectualized form of communication, which if anything would seem to obfuscate important affective information from the unconscious. I think that Freud was worried about this but it seems to have gotten worse. Certain forms of "post-modern" and "intersubjective" psychoanalysis seem indistinguishable from newer forms of cognitive therapy, and in that they pay only lip service to unconscious processes and structures. What about accelerated, but more intensive forms of psychoanalytic psychotherapy developed by Davanloo (McGill U), Sifneos (Harvard), or McCullough-Vaillant? (Harvard). From the evidence provided by videotaped sessions, these approaches seem to produce in patients vivid unconscious material that is only speculated about in psychoanalysis. Also isn't intellectualization a defense?
Q.  Compartmentalization
I'm looking for information about compartmentalization. I believe Jung used the concept in explaining the partitioning of emotion, behavior, and personality, specifically in patients who experienced trauma early in their lives and used compartmentalization as a coping mechanism. Can you tell me where to find more about this concept? Searches yield little relevant information.
Q.  Complexes, Transference Neurosis and Psychosis
I wonder if you could help to elucidate the psychoanalytic understanding of the term 'complex'? In various authors, the term seems to be used developmentally, procedurally or structurally. Do different analytic 'schools' understand and use the term with an intentionally different emphasis? Can you explain the concept of transference neurosis, and relatedly, transference psychosis? Some clinical examples would be helpful here. Can you suggest readings that discuss Andre Green's paper, "The Dead Mother"?
Q.  Conflict Theory
I wish to understand why psychoanalysis is sometimes referred to as a "conflict theory"? What is in conflict with what and with what result?
Q.  Control
I am interested in finding sources from which I may learn more about the issue of control -- giving it up or keeping it -- and the significance it may have to an individual's psychological makeup. You may have your own observations in addition to simply recommending available sources on the subject. Some individuals are troubled by their tendency to assert unwelcome efforts to control others' lives, and some are troubled by too readily offering others the opportunity to control them. For instance, I have heard that "potty training" may be seen to involve one such issue -- that of bargaining of control over bowel movements for love. The baby gets the point that if she allows mother to govern when she shall have bowel movements, she will be rewarded with mother's love and affection. A "control bargain" may be struck, in which baby concludes that she may consent to a certain amount of mother's control in exchange for a certain amount of love. Baby may misunderstand that it is the issue of acquiescence in control by another that is being bargained for, and draws the wrong conclusion that by offering others control over her actions, almost any actions, she will always gain love. On the other hand, other babies grow into overcontrolling adults. What resources best deal with control, and what comments do you have about its relative importance in overall psychological makeup?
Q.  Consciousness in Dreams
What is the significance, if any, of a dream in which the dreamer is aware he/she is dreaming?
Q.  Controlling Personalities
We sometimes hear of someone who is said to have a "controlling personality," or someone who seems to have a "need to control" as much as possible (or not possible) in his/her environment. I suppose these conditions are self-explanatory as regards the immediate symptoms they describe. But what goes along with these symptoms, in what sort of personality do they most often exist? For instance, are they often found in someone suffering with obsessive-compulsive disorder, or a particular type of it? And, what else might be expected of people suffering from excessive need for control? Fear of what, why is a fear of being out of control or having someone else be in control so horrible? What other psychopathology may be expected of someone with a need to control everything?
Q.  Countertransference
How damaging is it to a patient if the analyst lets countertransference assume a prominent role in the therapy hour? How would the analyst recognize and remedy this?
Q.  Creativity and Intelligence
I am a third year psychology student. We have been asked by our lecturer to examine the relationship between creativity and intelligence. Although I have found plenty of information on the relationship between the two, I have not had the same luck in finding information on the differences between tests of creativity and tests of intelligence.
Q.  Criminal Behavior
I am a first year student of psychology and criminology and I am interested in finding research material on the topic of psychoanalytic explanations of criminal behavior - particularly in the internet.
Q.  Defense and Resistance
I'm from England and found your question and answer page fascinating. I have searched your pages and cannot find anything on my topic of interest. I'm researching on Resistance and Defense among the vast array of books and articles I've found, but cannot find the following. I would like to ask:
1. What is the difference between a Resistance and a Defense.
2. Is Resistance a defense against insight? Or, does a defense manifest itself in the expressions of resistance, i.e. non-stop talking, the wish to stop, etc.?
3. From the minefield of authors who have written about Resistance since Freud, who are the major theorists who have developed, or changed the way we think about resistance?
4. What is the significance of resistance in a client with a paranoid personality disorder?
5. Why did Freud use Transference? And why wasn't it enough to just analyze the resistances?
Q.  Defenses
Can you talk about: 1) types of defenses; 2) how to overcome each one of them; 3) is healthy living synonymous with living without defenses?; and 4) relationship between defenses and meditation.
Q.  Developmental Models in Psychoanalysis
I am a psychology student writing a paper on psychoanalysis. I am looking for information on the comparative/animal psychology uses in the beginning of psychoanalytic history. Did they also play an important role in the development of psychoanalysis?
Q.  Depression
Would you be able to tell me what psychoanalysts view to be the cause of depression?
Q.  Developments in Psychoanalytic Theory and Practice
I would appreciate if you would steer me to reading material that would provide me with a deeper understanding of the changes that have occurred in psychoanalysis over the past 20 or so years. In particular I would like to have a better understanding of ego psychology, transference neurosis, resistance, etc.
Q.  Dissociative Identity Disorder
How effective has psychoanalysis been in the treatment of dissociative disorders and dissociative identity disorder?
Q.  Double Bind
For purposes of my question, I understand a "double bind" to be a set of inherently conflicting instructions or requests, such that to follow one is to breach the other. The recipient cannot win; anything he does will violate one or the other, at best. I want to try to understand the double bind and the double binder, and to learn something about how to deal with both. Among my questions in that regard are: (1) is the double bind formulated by the conscious or the unconscious (and, therefore, can the unconscious think, plan a strategy, especially a devious or tricky strategy?) (2) what else can a frequent use of the double bind be but a strategy to confuse and frustrate, and (3) does it often have a discernible goal for the conscious awareness, such as to achieve some hidden or otherwise difficult agenda, or is any agenda just an emotional matter of which there is no conscious awareness? How may the "bindee" best hope to deal with the double bind treatment: (1) by patiently explaining to the double binder that one cannot possibly comply with one of her wishes without denying the other (so she will be made aware of what she is doing, if she wasn't already so in the first place), (2) by just telling the binder to buzz off, he doesn't have time to deal with such silly conflicting requests, or (3) something else? Can you recommend any sources of information on practical aspects of dealing with double bind behavior?
Q.  Dreaming
I don't know if this is the appropriate forum to ask this question and if it is not, I apologize. Let me first say that I am not a psychology major and have only taken a few classes in college. I do not believe this to be a personal issue, but would like to use a personal example to illustrate my question. This dream has bugged me because I feel that there is something fundamentally wrong with it.

I was speaking with my wife in the dream and she was talking about John playing football. I listened to her talk about the details in the dream while feeling confused, because John is a rather small individual and would never play football. When she was done I asked her why John would be playing football and then she clarified that she was talking about John her brother, who had played a significant amount of football. And then I understood in the dream.

This dream then evolved into other illogical stuff, like most dreams do, but I remembered this part and wrote it down when I woke up. It seems weird that whatever part of me that perceived the dream did not know which John she was talking about, when some part of my brain must have constructed it without the perceivers knowledge of the association.

I had assumed this was coincidence but after looking at some of my other dreams I realize there is this same ignorance of associations being used. Is the subconscious really this complex? I read from an article that the logic part of the brain is not active during dreams and yet I don't remember any conversation along the lines of the dream. Is this a common type of dream?

If this question was inappropriate, I apologize and ask you to ignore the question.
Q.  Dream Theory
I am doing research on dream interpretation, why we dream, using Jungian and Freudian theories. I have read some parts of your research you have done at the American Psychoanalytic Association and I would be very pleased if you could send me your opinions on Jung's and Freud's theories.

I cannot speak about Jung's theories. For Freud, he listened to the dreamer's associations (his own or his patient's) to the manifest dream. Through the associations and connections one could understand the motives for the dreams: current and past conflicted situations.

Freud hypothesized that memories continue to exist outside our awareness, unconsciously and that, "The interpretation of dreams is the royal road to a knowledge of the unconscious activities of the mind." He meant that because dreams are such an unconscious activity they give an almost direct insight into the workings of the unconscious mind.
Q.  Dissociative Identity Disorder
How effective has psychoanalysis been in the treatment of dissociative disorders and dissociative identity disorder?
Q.  Dreams
I am doing some research on dreams. I have a couple of questions about dreams. 1. Do you think that dreams are significant to a person's daily life? 2. Do you think that dreams may reveal the future of one's life?
Q.  Dreams and Trauma
I am investigating how trauma influences dreams, and how dream interpretation can help in recovering from the trauma. Your website shows some interesting information on symposia of dreams. Would it be possible to get a little more information on the content of these symposia, because it is not possible to attend one of them. Any other information is always welcome.
Q.  Dysthymic Disorder and Depressive Neurosis
What is the relation in modern psychoanalytic theories between dysthymic disorders and depressive neurosis ?
Q.  The Ego
I am looking for information on Sigmund Freud's theories on the Ego, or any other theorist who wrote on the Ego.
Q.  Ego Psychology
I would like to learn more about psychoanalytic treatment from an ego psychology perspective. Could you please direct me to some good sources, including an audio tape since I drive alot...or book. ?
Q.  Emotions
What purpose do emotions serve? Emotions are not based on facts, but are based on chemical imbalences, and electrical impulses in our brains, I believe. Emotions, then, are not real. Why do we study emotions to help people, rather than helping them to get rid of those emotions. Wouldn't it work better to help people base their actions on facts rather than on emotions?
Q.  Emotional Sadism
I am doing research on emotional sadism and find very few references on this subject. I would very much appreciate any information you could share with me.
Q.  False Memory Syndrome
With all the debate about "false memory syndrome," are there any studies or articles addressing the issue of legitimacy of recovered memories via analysis rather than therapies that encourage the idea that lack of childhood memories/repression automatically indicate childhood sexual abuse? What is the psychoanalytic community's stance on recovered memories?
Q.  Financial Dependency
What sort of things cause financial dependency, for example, to continue into adulthood? What are the links between major depression/dissociative/anxiety disorders and dependency? Is it common for these kinds of disorders to result in inability to function in the outside world--and why? What would be the psychoanalytic perspective?
Q.  Free Association
How does a psychoanalyst know that the words of the patient are "associations" and how that they are "free"? Does a psychoanalyst need sympathy for the patient to analyze him?
Q.  Free Will
Does present day classic psychoanalytic theory believe in the idea of "free will" and in the ability of an analysis to make possible significant changes in life choices? Thank you for your time. By the way, this "Ask a Psychoanalyst" service is an excellent idea !
Q.  Free Will
I am currently studying psychology and I notice that many writers of psychology books state that psychoanalysis denies the concept of free will. As I am an admirer of the psychoanalytic approach, I object to the off-handed way that this is stated in most books. I would like to ask you if you have any comments on this, and whether Sigmund Freud ever actually stated that free will was an impossibility. I realize that he thought that we are all shaped by earlier experiences, but I am not prepared to blindly accept that this is the same as having no free will as the behaviorists saw it.
Q.  Freud in the Workplace
I am a student in England, studying for a BA in human resources management. I am very interested in Freud's work and how it can be used in the work place. If you know of any sites or if you have any relevant information, I would be very grateful if you could pass it on to me.
Q.  Golden Showers
Can you provide any information or references on Golden Showers (the fetish of urinating on another person)?
Q.  Inner Objects and Introjects
What is the difference between the concepts: (inner) object and introject.
Q.  Laughter
I would like to have some information for a paper on laughter. I cannot find any information, and would appreciate any references.
Q.  Lupus Erythematosus
I am a member of the Italian Psychoanalytical Society. I would be very grateful if you could help me to find papers regarding psychoanalysis or psychoanalytic psychotherapy of patients with lupus erythematosus. (I have checked the CD Rom PEP without results).
Q.  Isakower Phenomenon
Can you give information on Isakower Syndrome, especially how it might relate to adult sexual orientation.
Q.  Millennium
The millennium seems to be a time when people are thinking about new beginnings or a change of direction. Do you have any psychoanalytic thoughts for the millennium?
Q.  Mirror Transference
What is it called when a child mimics an adult...wanting to be like the adult. Twin .. something? Who did the study about that?
Q.  Multiple Personality Disorder
I am a freshman at the University of New Hampshire, and I have to write a paper on multiple personality disorder. I need to have two contrasting views. One of them I am looking at is the psychoanalytical approach, but I am unable to find out any information about it. Is there any way you could help me out with this?
Q.  Narcissism and Anal Fixation
I'm wondering if there is a theorized link between narcissistic and anally-fixated behaviour. Does one ever lead to the other?
Q.  Near-Death Experiences
I am doing a research and I was wondering if you can give me some information on how Freud is applied on near-death experiences. Is there any approach between Freud's typology and this phenomenon?
Q.  The Need to Dominate and Control
What sorts of psychological phenomena might power a strong need of a patient to dominate or control people and events in his/her surroundings? I do not mean such a tendency as a person with the traits of a "leader" may exhibit from time to time, but a degree of such a need as may seem always in operation, and wholly inappropriate and compulsive in the circumstances. What sort of compromise of psychological forces, if that is a useful way to view the issue, might result in such a need?
Q.  Nature vs. Nurture and Intelligence
How does nature vs nurture pertain to an individual's intelligence?
Q.  Nature vs. Nurture in Personality Development
I am writing a psychology paper with the above topic and I would like to get some details of how genetics and environment (nurture) contribute to an individual's personality from birth to death?
Q.  Negative Therapeutic Reaction
Could NEGATIVE THERAPEUTIC REACTION be described as resistance to giving up symptoms? Or am I thinking of SECONDARY GAIN?
Q.  Object Relations Theory
I am a Psychology Honors student at the University of South Africa. I am in the process of writing an essay on object relation theory. Today while surfing the net I came across your association and wondered if you would have any articles or papers on the subject of object relations theory since it is a part of psychoanalysis.
Q.  Object Relations Inventory
I'm a psychiatrist from Venezuela, and I would really appreciate some information about Otto Kernberg's Object Relations Inventory.
Q.  Object Relations vs. Ego Psychology
Would you please explain what distinguishes British School object relations from Ego Psychology object relations? How is psychoanalytic object relations different from Ego Psychology?
Q.  Oedipus Complex
I am a freshman in High School. I am doing a school project on Freud's Oedipus Complex. For my project I am going to pretend to psychoanalyze someone who has this complex. I was wondering if you could give me any questions that a psychoanalyst would use and any helpful information.
Q.  Oedipus Complex and Siblings
I'm a college student currently taking general psychology. Just today I was looking through my textbook and I came upon a chapter about personality where it discussed something called the Oedipus Complex. Being familiar with the Greek story of Oedipus, this caught my eye so I read a little more about it. Let me make sure I have this clear. A child between the ages of three and six may have sexual (or psychosexual) feelings for the parent of the opposite sex and rival or hatred feelings for the parent of the same sex? I read the response you gave the student who wanted information for a class project, and I understand from that, this "oedipal stage" is just when a child realizes his/her genitals are special or important so he/she wants to protect them or fears damage to them. Is this right? I've never heard of this stage before today. However, I have noticed a lot of parent of opposite sex favoritism. I've noticed young girls wanting to wear "their daddies' big shirts" or young boys being more willing to show their true feelings about something only in front of their moms since "daddy" will only get mad. Is all of this tied in with the oedipal stage? A little off topic, I've come up with a hypothesis that if two parents have their second child while their first one is between the ages of 3 and 6, they would get better results on sibling relationship. And today I realized this age group lies directly in the oedipal stage. Would the arrival of a second child while the first one is in the oedipal stage be an advantage, disadvantage, or does it not affect anything?
Q.  Oedipus and the Dora Case
I am a psychology student and I am currently doing an assignment on how involved Dora was in her Oedipal drama when she came to Freud - any references that you may have on this specific aspect of the case would be appreciated.
Q.  Perfectionism
Could you please explain the psychoanalytic point of view regarding "perfectionism," both " normal" and "neurotic."
Q.  Problems in Living vs. Brain Diseases
You write that "mental disorders" are not just "problems in living". Are "mental disorders" brain diseases?
Q.  Projection
I may be quite wrong, but it appears to me at this point that projection is quite a common phenomenon, employed in some degree by almost everyone. But, I am trying to correlate the substantial, much more than "normal" use of projection with certain psychiatric diagnoses. Is it possible, or of any value, to do this? What disorders often feature great reliance on projection?
Q.  Play Therapy
Can you please direct me to some resources on psychoanalytic play therapy? I'm particularly interested in its history and development. I could also use a brief summary of the psychoanalytic view of play.
Q.  Psoriasis
Is there any literature written on Psoriasis and Psychoanalysis?
Q.  The Psychoanalytic Framework
I am extremely interested in psychoanalysis and I have a couple of questions. Any answers would be wonderful.
1. What are the key concepts associated with the most important theories within the psychodynamic perspective?
2. Which concepts are "borrowed" or shared with psychologists in other perspectives?
3. Are concepts used from other social sciences?
4. How are the main concepts used to describe and explain psychological phenomena?
5. What are the important conceptual linkages?
6. Which concepts have been tested empirically? How valid are these concepts in explaining behavior?
Q.  Psychoanalytic Journals
I am looking for a psychoanalytic journal to subscribe to. I am specially interested in psychoanalytic group-process, object relation theory and self psychology. Could you please recommend a journal.
Q.  Psychoanalytic Schools of Thought
Can you give me a hint where, in which book or journal, I can find a compilation of the different schools of psychoanalysis? As I looked in many bookshops I couldn't find anything. I would like to know something of the different meanings of the psychoanalytic termini, how they are used in the different schools and about their history.
Q.  Psychoanalytic Therapy
I am currently attending college in the hopes of a degree in counseling. I am now working on a research paper, on the theory of analytical therapy, this being the main reason I decided to go into counseling wasn't a hard topic choice. I was wondering if it wasn't too much trouble, you could send me an email, with any kind of information you have on the subject, perhaps a story, or maybe just a thought.
Q.  Psychoanalysis and Older Patients
How well does psychoanalysis work with the aged and "ancient." Are there sources that you could recommend?
Q.  Psychodynamic Model of the Mind
I am doing an essay on the development of the human mind through childhood and adolescence according to the psychodynamic model of the human mind. I am finding it hard to gain relevant information on the subject.
Q.  Psychodynamic Orientation
What does it mean when a psychoanalyst describes him/herself as psychodynamically oriented? Is psychodynamic a broad term? Or is it narrow as if he/she were to say they were Jungian or Freudian?
Q.  Rage and Lust
Is there evidence that rage can manifest itself as lust?
Q.  Regression in Analysis
What is meant by "regression" in analysis? More specifically, 1) is a patient expected to "regress" as a normal part of the analytic process and 2) might this be dangerous to some analysands?
Q.  Regression and Unconscious
I am psychotherapist from Moscow and for my scientific activities I need your help. Can you recommend the most comprehensive sources - papers, books, sites - in order to understand regression as type of defensive mechanism. Also I'm curious about various views of unciousness in different analytical approaches, from orthodox Freudian to modern thought.
Q.  Repetition Compulsion
What is Freud's theory "repetition compulsion" in summary, and how would this lead to finding relationships that require extraordinary effort extremely seductive? In addition, where on the web could I find more on this topic?
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